Harris Lyman
White River Junction, VT – Harris C. Lyman, 90, died peacefully on
Thursday September 18, 2025, at the Jack Byrne Center in Lebanon, NH.
He was born March 30, 1935, at home on the Breezy Hill Farm in the
Jericho District of Hartford, one of six children to Philip D. and
Lois E (Nelson) Lyman. Harris grew up on the family farm where he
acquired a love for spending time in the beauty of nature at a young
age. He was the last student to attend the district’s one room
schoolhouse before going to Hartford High School where he graduated in
1953. While in high school he met Mary Lavery, the local Methodist
minister’s daughter, the couple was married June 22, 1957, in Corinth,
NY. Soon after, Harris built their home on Albert Street where they
spent nearly all 65 years of marriage together. Mary died in December
of 2022.
After returning from college, Harris began working at Trumbull-Nelson
in Hanover, NH as a purchasing agent and later became a construction
consultant. Shortly after his beginning his career at Trumbull-Nelson,
Harris served six years in the US Army Reserves. At home he enjoyed
tinkering on jobs around the house and especially enjoyed the
challenge of “engineering a better mousetrap” to solve a problem.
Harris was an active member of the First United Methodist Church of
White River Jct. including serving on the board of trustees for many
years. In his free time he enjoyed spending time outdoors scouting,
hunting, fishing, maple sugaring or gardening. He had wonderful green
thumb and could make anything grow. At the age of 10 he was awarded
the MacArthur Award from the 4-H for his victory garden. Harris was
also quite athletic and was an avid golfer, bowler and enjoyed playing
baseball in his younger years.
He was predeceased by his wife of 65 years, Mary; two brothers, Norman
and Philip Lyman and three sisters Elizabeth Sommer, Sally Gile
Peters, and Anne Kierklewski.
Harris leaves his four children, Joanne L. Jordan and husband Paul E.
of Claremont, NH; Peter J. Lyman and wife Sharon P. of Canaan, NH;
Gail Lyman of Tilton, NH; and Virginia L. Best and husband Todd F. of
Concord, NH; eleven grandchildren, Andrew, Ryan, Aaron, Austin,
Sawyer, Serena, Christopher, Evan, Emma, Elise and Evangeline, and;
seven great grandchildren, Tristian, Juliannah, Maryannah, Casey,
Nola, Mason, and Mara; and several nieces and nephews.
A visitation will be held at the Knight Funeral Home in White River
Jct. on Sunday September 28th from 2-3PM with a funeral service to
follow at 3PM. Burial will be in the Hartford Cemetery at the
convenience of the family.
Condolences to his family may be made in an online guestbook at
knightfuneralhomes.com.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Jack Byrne Center for
Palliative Care, 154 Hitchcock Loop Rd, Lebanon, NH 03756.